NEW YOUTH FUNDING PROGRAM UNVEILED AT SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM

A new provincial government program that will provide funding to youth-led community projects was announced today by the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee at the 2006 High Schools Symposium in Saskatoon.

The Saskatchewan Youth Project Awards was developed by the 25 young people who sit on the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee. The committee's work was praised by Culture, Youth and Recreation Minister Joan Beatty.

"The Saskatchewan Youth Project Awards is a program developed by young people for young people," Beatty said. "Our province has an outstanding history of volunteerism. This awards program will help engage a new generation of young people in Saskatchewan's important volunteer sector."

Young people aged 14 to 29 are eligible to submit applications for funding. Awards will range in value from $500 to $5,000 to support both small and larger-scale projects. Applications, which are due March 31st, are available at www.saskyouth.net.

To adjudicate applications, the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee will select a representative youth jury from Culture, Youth and Recreation's youth leadership database. This database is comprised of youth who have stated an interest in filling leadership positions by submitting their profile to the department.

The jury will be responsible for rating applications based on a number of factors, including the level of youth leadership in project definition and implementation, the number of young people reached in the development and implementation phases, the quality of experience, the potential development opportunity for participants and applicant, and the strength of community support.

"This program is an excellent example of the benefits of youth leadership," Provincial Youth Advisory Committee Co-chair Nicole White said. "Young people will have an opportunity to be engaged in their communities as leaders. Communities will benefit as the youth-led projects will directly address needs identified by young people."

The Saskatchewan Youth Project Awards fulfills Government's commitment that 15 per cent of centennial merchandising project costs be directed to youth programming. The final dollar figure for the program is not finalized but is approximately $190,000. The formal announcement of the money invested from Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 into the Centennial Legacy Trust Fund will follow in March.

For more information on the Saskatchewan Youth Project Awards and the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee, please visit www.saskyouth.net.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Janet Peters Culture, Youth and Recreation Regina Phone: (306) 787-4967